Brake



R. JEWELL oct. 1o, 195o BRAKE s sheets-shew 1 Filed Nov. 5., 1946 .mllu/ wafer f4. .wf/4u www@ Oct. l0, 1950 R. A. JEWELL BRAKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1946 Iba 27 'maar 4. mf/fu @www ct. 10, 1950 R. A. JEWELL. 2,525,550

' BRAKE Filed Nov. 5, 1946 s Sheena-sheer@` 5 @www Patented Oct. 10, 1950 BRAKE Robert A. Jewell, Savannah, Ga., assigner to The Steel Products Co., inc., Savannah, Ga.

Application `November 5, 1946, Serial No. 707,862 l 2 Claims.

1 I This invention relates to improvements 1n brakes and is particularly concerned with a brake assembly to be associated with a vehicle axle or axle housing and the associated brake drum of a vehicle wheel.

The design of a brake is a compromise between weight, simplicity, compactness and ruggedness. At the same time the brake must be capable of withstanding the high temperatures developed during the braking operation and must be so constructed that the braking forces do not produce excessive moments tending to reduce the braking pressure at one end of the shoe which might cause squeaking and unequal wear.

Heretofore various mechanisms ha've been provided in attempting to overcome the above diiiiculties. As a general rule these mechanisms are rather complicated and have not entirely overcome the diiilculty of non-.uniform pressure on the brake shoes which results in uneven wear. Several ci' these previous devices have been provided with fluid-operated actuating mechanisms so that the force is applied radially to the brake shoes, but during the braking operation, due to the method of anchoring the brake shoes, there is a tendency for the brake shoes to pivot about their anchors or the point at which the force is applied to the brake shoes with the result that much greater braking force is applied to one end of the brake shoes than at the other. In accordn ance With the present invention, a rotatable actuating mechanism is provided having eccentric cam thrust surfaces and in which a plurality of rolling elements, illustrated in the drawings as rollers or gears, are provided for transmitting uniform radially outward thrust over a considerable arc or" the brake shoes, thereby minimizing any tendency for the braking action to develop moments on the brake shoes which would tend to produce non-uniform pressure and wear on the brake shoes.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the invention is `to provide an improved brake in which novel means are provided for causing radial movement of the brake shoes and for reducing the moments tending to rotate the brake shoes during the braking operation.

Another object of the invention is te provide an improved brake mechanism in which the actuating thrust is distributed over a substantial portion of the arc of the brake shoe in order to ensure more uniform wear of the brake lining.

Another object is to provide improved brake mechanism in which the brake shoes are fulliioating and are anchored at both ends and are provided with mechanism for distributing the actuating force throughout a substantial arc of the brake shoe.

Other and further objects will become readily apparent from the following description when Y and `anchor for the brake shoe.

considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of the invention, and in which:

` Figure l is an exploded perspective view of the major elements of the brake mechanism made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation looking from the wheel side of the brake;

Figure 3 is a worms-eye sectional View on line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on the line li-d of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional elevation looking from the brake drum side of the brake assembly;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the cam actuating ring;

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the cam actuating ring on the line 6-5 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a detail oi the roller cage for the roller elements which apply the braking thrust to the brake shoes;

Figure 9 is a partial sectional elevation looking from the brake drum side of a modified form of the invention, in which gears are substituted for the rollers; and

Figure 10 is a detail of the cage for the gears of the modified form of Fig. 9.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention represented by the drawings shows the improved mechanism of the invention applied to a heavy brake particularly adapted for highway trucks or trailers. It comprises a brake spider l0 Which is adapted to be carried by the vehicle axle or axle housing Ii. As illustrated, the spider l!! is xed to the axle housing, but as will b-e readily apparent from later description` if desired, this spider might be rotated relative to the brake anchor to cause actuation of the brake. The brake spider lll has arms i2 and i3 which termi nate inV anchors 12a and i3d for brake shoes It and l5, respectively. The brake shoes lil and i 5 respectively, terminate in bifurcated ends as represented by the legs la and |501, respectively. These legs are adapted to straddle the arms l2 I3 respectively, from the opposite sides thereof. The arm l2 is provided with transverse bosses or projections i219 and I2C which are spaced radially apart suiciently to receive the legs Ida and |J respectively of the brake shoes. rlhe projections or bosses serve to position and guide the ends of the brake shoes while the inner surfaces of the notches Mc between the bifurcations abuts the portion of the arm l2 between the projections or bosses I2b and I2C and serves as an Likewise the transverse projections or bosses lib and |3c on the end of the arm I3 serve as anchor and positioning means for the opposite ends of the shoes I4 and I5. Suitable springs 6 and 'I have terminating hooks which engage holes in bosses at the opposite ends of the brake shoes in the usual manner for the purpose of retaining the brake shoes in assembled relation against the arms I2 and I3. A main actuating cam ring I6 which, as illustrated in Figure 2, may be journaled on the hub of the brake spider i9 is held in place by a suitable keeper ring II. The cam ring I6 is provided with cam surfaces Mia and Ib which are eccentric to the axis of the cam ring. In the assembled brake these surfaces are adapted to be arranged adjacent inner thrust surfaces Ide and Ie, respectively, of the brake shoes. These thrust vsurfaces are concentric with the braking surfaces of the respective brake shoes and are therefore substantially concentric with the axis of the brake drum I3 when the brake shoes are placed against the latter. A plurality of thrust rollers 29 to 2li inclusive, assembled in a roller cage 25, are adapted to be placed between the cam surfaces I6a and 62) of the cam ring I6 and the adjacent thrust surfaces Hic and i5e of the brake shoes Iii and i5, respectively, whereby upon rotation of the cam ring i6 relative to the brake spider i9 radially outward thrust will be transmitted to the brake shoes. As shown in the drawings, the rollers are of varying diameters and are so spaced that their outer surfaces are adapted to engage simultaneously the cam surfaces I6a and |619 of the cam ring I6 and the thrust surfaces Ide and |56 of the respective brake shoes so that the braking thrust is distributed over a large arc of the brake shoes. This construction also reduces the moment of forces tending to rotate the brake shoes about their anchors during braking action. By this construction there is a minimum Variation between .the pressure applied to the different parts of the brake shoes. Y

For purposes of actuating the cam ring E6, a cam 2l' fixed to shaft 28 is adapted to engage a boss 29 on the side of the cam ring. IThe shaft 28 is suitably journaled as at 3! in a bracket which is attached to the axle or axle housing I I. Any suitable mechanism, not shown, may be provided for rotating the shaft 29 for actuatingthe brake mechanism.

In the modied form of the invention shown in Figures 9 and 10, suitable gears 32 to 36, inclusive, assembled in a suitable cage 31 may be substituted for the rollers previously described. In such modified form gear teeth would be substituted for the smooth surfaces I 6a, I 6b on the cam ring I B and the inner thrust surfaces I de i and l5@ of the brake shoes. It Will be readily apparent that instead of the gears suitable ball bearings arranged in a cage could be used. Also, if desired, a large number of very small ball bearings could be arranged between the eccentric cam surface of the actuating ring I6 and the inner thrust surfaces of the brake shoes for transmitting radial thrust to the brake shoes when the cam ring is rotated relative to the member which carries the anchor for the brake shoe.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, it will be noted that the actuating ring I6 is rotatable on the hub of the spider I0 which is fixed to the axle or axle housing Ii. However, it will be readily apparent that, if desired, the cam ring I6, or its mechanical equivalent, could be fixed with respect to the axle or axle housing and the brake spider I9, which carries the anchors for the brake shoes, could be rotated with respect to the cam ring I6 to provide the same actuating action for the brake mechanism. rIhis specification and the accompanying claims should be read with this alternate form in mind. For the purposes of this invention, an axle or the axle housing II should be considered mechanical equivalents.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible Without departing from the inventive concept. ItV is therefore desired that the invention not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the appended claims.

, I claim:

l. In combination in a brake assembly for association with an axle housing and a relatively rotatable drum, a plurality of brake shoes slidably intercoupled with said axle housing for radial movement relative thereto, said brake shoes having inner thrust surfaces adapted to be substantially concentric with the axis of said housing and brake drum when said shoes engage said brake drum, a second member operably associated for rotation about the axis of the brake assembly, said second member having cam surfaces eccentric to said axis, a plurality of rolling elements of varying diameters and so spaced as to engage said eccentric cam surfaces of said second member and the inner thrust surfaces of said brake shoes whereby when relative rotational movement is effected between said second member and the member carrying the anchors for said brake shoes, the latter will be forced radially outwardly against said brake drum.

2. In combination in a brake assembly for association with an axle housing and a relatively rotatable drum, a plurality of brake shoes slidably intercoupled with said axle housing for radial movement relative thereto, said brake shoes having inner thrust surfaces substantially concentric with the axis of said housing, a cam member mounted for rotation about the axis of said axle housing and having peripheral cam surfaces eccentric to said axis and dening'with said inner thrust surfaces curvilinear wedge-shaped spaces therebetween, and a series of freely movable rolling elements of progressively decreasing diameters engaging and corresponding substantially to the convergence of said eccentric cam and thrust surfaces, adaptedto be urged toward the rise of said eccentric cam surfaces on relative rotation between said cam member and said brake shoes to force said brake shoes radially outwardly against said drum.

ROBERT A. JEWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 988,987 Eners Apr. 1l, 1911 1,563,636 Lewis Dec. 1,1925 1,771,348 Priest July 22, 1930 1,924,113 Evans Aug. 29, 1933 1,954,467 Beettam, Jr Apr. 10, 1934 1,962,939 Roberts June l2, 1934 2,266,079 Roche Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 390,693 Germany Feb. 22, 1924 

